Perry Targets Santorum in Iowa

WATERLOO, Iowa — Rick Perry set his sights squarely on former Sen. Rick Santorum during a campaign stop here, further evidence the Texas governor views Mr. Santorum as an impediment to finishing fourth or better at next week’s Iowa caucuses.

Both men have received a slight uptick in the polls as they make inroads with the state’s divided social conservatives, but Mr. Santorum’s bump has been larger. Three Iowa polls released this week showed Mr. Santorum in third place, with Mr. Perry in a close fourth or fifth.

“Other campaigns say that they’re conservative, but the fact is that their records don’t always square with their rhetoric,” Mr. Perry said. He then criticized the former Pennsylvania lawmaker for voting to raise the debt ceiling and supporting earmarks during his time in the Senate, including one for a teapot museum.